Friday Night Lights… Under the bright lights of W.C. Majors Field on Friday, Oct. 10, the Fairhope Pirates and the Mary G. Montgomery Vikings battled in a back-and-forth matchup all night long. (Shep Pappas)
Pregame Smiles… Participants line up for a group photo during the annual Spina Bifida game. The event celebrated inclusion and community at Fairhope High School. The annual tradition is held to raise awareness of disabled adults and children. (Shep Pappas) Warming Up… Sophomores Zach Morris and Eli Mason, junior Nic Ronsisvalle and senior Matthew Blakeney stretch before the start of warmups. The group prepared in the back of the enzone to prevent injuries during the game. The routine occurred before the team’s pregame warmup. (Shep Pappas) Annual Handshake… Players shake hands with honored guests. This interaction took place before the players head to the locker room one last time to get ready for kickoff. The yearly tradition highlighted the players’ support for the event. “It feels great to have them around, for them to be able to be involved in such a supportive community like Fairhope, and it always warms your heart to see that. I think a lot of us on the team are inspired by a lot of those kids,” said senior Caden McCartha. (Shep Pappas) Team Leader… Senior Colton Allen tells the defense where to position themselves. He positioned himself in the middle of the field, ready for what might come. The preparation took place as both teams set up for the kickoff. “Love this team, it is the best one I have ever been a part of, and we can go a long way,” Allen said. (Shep Pappas) Touchdown Pirates… Junior Trey Garner scrambles into the end zone to tie the game 7-7. He evaded pressure from the defense during the play. The touchdown brought the score to a tie in a key moment of the game. (Shep Pappas) Though The Uprights… Junior Grant Thompson kicks his second field goal of the game to put the Pirates ahead 13-7. He followed through as the ball sailed between the uprights. (Shep Pappas)Lockdown… Junior Dylan Gilbert guards the Mary G. Montgomery receiver on a critical third down. He maintained coverage as the quarterback looks into the endzone. The play helped the team get a stop on a key third down. (Shep Pappas) Staying Alive… Senior Andres Hunt catches a 55-yard receiving touchdown from Garner with 4:48 remaining in the game. He ran past the defenders to get into the endzone. The score brought the Pirates within a 2-point conversion of tying the game. (Shep Pappas) Showing Sportsmanship… Players from both teams shake hands after the game. They lined up at midfield to exchange the postgame handshakes. The gesture marked the end of the game. (Shep Pappas) Showing Sportsmanship… Players from both teams shake hands after the game. They lined up at midfield to exchange the postgame handshakes. The gesture marked the end of the game. (Shep Pappas)
